If you’ve been feeling super stressed, you’re definitely not alone. We’ll be the first to admit that stress can sometimes get the best of us, especially now. From our brains to our bodies, anxiety and worry can show up in some troublesome ways—even threatening to wreak havoc on our complexions. So, in the name of Stress Awareness Month, here are a few things to know about stress and how to help protect your glow.
Feel free to blame most of those unwanted flare-ups on the hormone cortisol, which is released from our adrenal glands when we’re in fight-or-flight mode and tanks our immune systems when we’re feeling overwhelmed. This can lead to more oil production and, you guessed it, more oil production means more breakouts, more eczema outbreaks, more psoriasis woes. Stress hormones, such as cortisol, have also been linked to pesky inflammation, sallowness and even dark under-eye circles.
So, what’s a stressed out person to do?
Treat you and your skin as well as you possibly can. Look to things like guided meditations, salt baths to help to calm and soothe along with the tried and true habits of drinking plenty of water and making sure you catch your z’s. Managing work schedules, exercise and granting yourself time for you can all help tame your stress and your skin. Incorporating the good stuff your skin naturally craves is always a good idea, too—think daily supplements to work into your diet or nourishing moisturizers to keep your skin fresh and dull-free.
